


Wash Free the Blood

by ericsonclan



Series: A Pirate's Life For Me AU [44]
Category: The Walking Dead (Telltale Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Pirate, Blood and Injury, Blood and Violence, Deals, Execution, F/F, F/M, Gen, Hostage Situations, Team as Family
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-15
Updated: 2021-01-15
Packaged: 2021-03-13 10:40:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,739
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28776951
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ericsonclan/pseuds/ericsonclan
Summary: The Ericson pirates stop at a port town where everything goes wrong
Relationships: Aasim/Ruby (Walking Dead: Done Running), Brody/Mitch (Walking Dead: Done Running), Clementine/Louis (Walking Dead: Done Running), Marlon & Rosie (Walking Dead: Done Running), Mitch & Violet (Walking Dead: Done Running), Prisha/Violet (Walking Dead: Done Running), Sophie & Tenn (Walking Dead: Done Running), Sophie & Violet (Walking Dead: Done Running)
Series: A Pirate's Life For Me AU [44]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1683673
Comments: 6
Kudos: 4





	Wash Free the Blood

**Author's Note:**

> (by Linnea)

Prisha felt the cool wind blow across her face as the smell of the sea danced around her nose. Taking a moment, Prisha brushed back the few wisps that had curled round her face before placing her hand on the side of the ship. In a single fluid motion Prisha jumped over the side and landed on the dock with ease. A short breath escaped her lips as her eyes wandered round the island where they had decided to stop. The waters were a beautiful ombre, turquoise changing to deep blue the further the water level went. The water ebbed and flowed with small waves that crashed across the white sands. Palm trees decorated the island, gifting it with shade and some coconuts. It seemed to be a rather small community with a small share of houses at the base before a long walkway led to a sort of white mansion. Prisha paused for a moment. Something about this place felt oddly familiar but she couldn’t quite figure out why. It felt as though the answer was on the tip of her tongue when she heard footsteps stroll down the walkway. She glanced back and a warm, loving smile appeared on her face as she saw it was Violet. The blonde pirate looked up at Prisha and returned the smile before casual intertwining her fingers with hers. The two gazed at each other for a moment before Prisha captured Violet’s lips in a quick, soft kiss. When they pulled apart their eyes locked once more, filled with love.

“Oh boy!” Louis hopped down onto the deck, ending the short moment the two had shared. “This island looks amazing! Right, Clem?” He looked over at his wife with a warm, bright smile before offering her a hand as she made her way to the deck. Clementine accepted the help before replying.

“Yeah, it really is amazing,” She looked out at the town before the wild laughs of Willy, AJ and Mitch appeared behind her. The trio shot passed her and scampered towards the shore, each of them excited to see a new place. Soon all the other pirates exited Ol’ Kickass. 

“It sure is lovely,” Sophie gave a soft smile that faltered for a moment as her eyes wandered down to the braces on her arms. Her mind returned to that dreaded day, the day Minnie had died. They had fought so hard for that moment and for what? It filled Sophie’s heart with deep guilt and sorrow.The redheaded pirate was pulled from her swirling thoughts when she felt something warm embrace her hand. Glancing down, she noticed that it was Tenn’s hand. Her younger brother gave a gentle smile up to his sister who tried her best to give it back in kind. Marlon glanced back at the pair for a moment, wondering if he should say anything but before he could Rosie had drawn his attention once more. His eyes grew large before he gave a whistle, commanding Rosie to get back on the ship and stand guard. The pitbull looked saddened by it for a moment but quickly licked Marlon’s hand and ran back onto Ol’ Kickass.

“What's the name of this place again?” Brody asked as she walked alongside Mitch who had calmed down a bit. 

“I believe it's name was Ellister.” Aasim called out from the back of the pack. His hand swayed gently with Ruby’s as they walked forward.

“I can’t wait to check this place out!” Willy exclaimed, giving a toothy grin to AJ who was now walking alongside Louis and Clementine. The shaggy haired teen was so lost in his excitement that he failed to notice when he ran into Prisha and Violet, causing their hands to slip away from each other. “Shit, sorry!” Willy gave an apologetic smile to the couple before the back of his shirt was nabbed by Brody and he was pulled back.

“You’re gonna walk with us, Willy,” Brody gave the teen a scolding look before looking back at Prisha. The auburn pirate’s gentle smile faltered for a moment when she saw that Prisha was deep in thought. “Prish?”

“Hmm?” Prisha shook herself out of her thoughts. “My deepest apologies,” Prisha thought to speak more on the growing sense that she knew of this place. But she brushed past it and continued to chat with the crew happily as they began to make their way into the town. 

Soon the conversation became heated as different crew members talked about whether or not any of them could cook as great as Omar. Many had taken the side of not being able. Omar seemed to have been blessed by the gods of the seas and winds when it came to cooking so to even think to obtain that level seemed unrealistic. That, however, didn’t stop a few from speaking up that they probably could, mainly Mitch. 

“I bet I could cook us some good grub,” Mitch gave a cocky smile before looking over at his love. She didn’t seem to agree. “What?”

“I highly doubt-” Brody’s sentence was cut off though when a voice appeared in front of them.

“Stop right there!” A man dressed in fine deep blue clothes called out, a rapier by his side along with a sidearm. Soon more and more men appeared with him. The Ericson pirates stopped in their tracks, unsure whether they had already been recognized even though they highly doubted that was the case. Aasim had checked to make sure they had been nowhere near this area before. After all the pain they had gone through they simply wanted a break. But then why did the man leading this group look so angry? 

Before any of the crew could hope to put together the pieces, the man grabbed Prisha by the collar and dragged her forward. He then gave a harsh hit to Prisha’s gut causing a thread of saliva to escape her lips. The pirates began to move forward but the man didn’t stop. Instead he threw Prisha to the ground and placed his knee on her back while holding back her good arm, twisting it sharply. Prisha let out a sharp, short hiss of pain. 

“I never thought I’d live to see that day,”

“The fuck do you think you’re doing!” Violet dashed forward but was immediately picked up by another one of the men. He wrapped his arms through hers and held her up. The blonde pirate’s legs kicked around wildly in the air and she struggled to break free. The other pirates moved forward, ready to help but froze when the other men drew their muskets and aimed them at the crew. Louis held out his arm and stood before Clementine and AJ while Mitch and Brody both moved Willy behind them. Everyone’s guards were up as they tried to protect even one member of their family. 

Violet kicked frantically, her pale green eyes glaring at the man that still held Prisha to the ground. “You get your fucking hands off her!” Violet spat, venom in her voice as she saw the man press her wife’s face against the dirt. 

“I wouldn’t be so rude,” The man shot back with a sneer. “I’m simply doing my duty as a privateer. You see, I know of this pirate. This filth of the sea. You ran with the Deliverance,” The name made Prisha’s eyes grow large and fill with an array of different emotions; none were positive. “How I’d love to kill you right here and now for what you’ve done,” The privateer’s hand trembled with rage, hovering over his flintlock pistol. Violet struggled once more but was quickly silenced with a harsh hit across the face. The sight made Prisha’s heart tighten. 

“Please! There’s no need to hurt her! It’s me who you have an issue with!” 

The privateer looked surprised by the fear and worry in Prisha’ eyes as she looked towards her wife. The side of the blonde pirate’s face was still red from the force of the blow. The privateer looked between the two of them and soon his anger returned stronger than before. He turned to the Ericson pirates all of whom looked like they wanted to tear apart the group of privateers. “Drop your weapons! All of them!” he instructed before unholstering his pistol and aiming it at Violet. “Now!”

“Listen to him,” Louis took out his sword and tossed it in front of him. One by one the pile of weapons grew higher as the crew threw in any they had. They weren't going to risk Violet’s life. 

“Good. Bind their hands. The duke would love nothing more than to see this one,” He spat towards Prisha. “And if her company is anywhere near as bad, we’ll be doing the seas a favor.” The crew all tried to resist, threatening the privateers as they moved to harm those they loved, but within seconds they were all getting their hands tied. Prisha felt her heartbeat pound in her ears as she watched her family slowly be guided towards the mansion in the distance. In that moment the realization struck her. That's why this place had felt vaguely familiar. It must’ve been one of the places the Deliverance had pillaged years ago. The brutality of those years, the sheer amount of bloodshed and bodies that she had left in her wake, it was all catching up with her and now it would bring Violet and the others in harm’s way. 

The crew walked in silence, all of them terrified of what was to come. Some showed it clearly on their faces while others held anger as their main emotion, glaring at the men who pushed them forward. As they neared the building the details became more clear. The white mansion stood on a small elevation overlooking boulders covered in greenery, trees of all sorts growing beside the stone staircases that led up to a small balcony and the front doors. Large windows intricately designed stood proudly by the entrance where pillars shot up from the ground, holding and building into the roof. As they were guided towards the doors Prisha took note of how well the wood of the mansion had held up. This building must have been fairly old and yet it looked nearly brand new. 

The privateers pushed the crew into the building which was covered in hardwood flooring. Chandeliers dangled from the ceiling, complementing the multiple tables, desk and shelves that covered the room, each one polished and handcrafted with different types of wood. Large windows brought forth the strong, warm light that showed off the delicate and beautifully sculptured statues that were on display as well as maps and other papers that lay scattered here and there. Whoever was living here was sitting in the lap of luxury, leading a privileged life in their small hideaway from the outside world. 

The crew was guided forward towards a room guarded by twin doors made from mahogany. With a mighty push of the doors it was revealed to be a cartography room and a rather large one at that. There hovering over a map with a quill tucked between his middle and ring finger was the duke. In his other hand was a glass of wine, the contents of which swirled around lazily while the man stared at the map intensely. His brown eyes wandered up and noticed the captain of the privateers before he caught sight of the others. He opened his mouth, ready to ask what brought him here today when his eyes fell upon Prisha.

“You,” He placed down his glass and walked in front of his table. “I remember you. Your crew, The Deliverance, butchered the people all around these islands. The blood ran deep in the waters as you heartless bastards pillaged our towns and sliced down our people like it was nothing.” The duke walked forward, his eyes dancing with unyielding hate. With a swift flick of his hand he struck Prisha, causing her to nearly fall over. The different members of the crew lunged forward, each of them wanting to reach out and keep her safe.

“You bastard!” Violet tried to move forward.

“Leave Prisha alone!” Willy snapped at the man but was quickly quieted once his arm was twisted behind him. 

“Stop! Please!” Brody begged but her pleas fell on deaf ears. All of the members of the crew started shouting until the duke spoke up again.

“Be silent or I’ll have you join her!” His eyes looked back at Prisha. “I should have you executed for your crimes! Your body held up on display for all to see that justice will be served against those who have wronged us!” Those words made Prisha’s eyes shoot up and lock with the duke's while her friends and wife desperately tried to break free. All of them were terrified by the threat. Before anyone could speak though, a hidden door was opened from behind a bookcase, revealing a tall, short haired man. He was dressed in the finest threads a person could afford. He had a golden jacket detailed with blue flowers that complemented the rest of his shirt and white pants nicely. A vest of the same pattern and colors lay beneath the jacket while the white ruffles of his undershirt spilled out from beneath his vest.

“Father?” The man walked forward and stood beside the duke. “What’s going on?”

“The privateers seem to have caught some pirates including one that ran with The Deliverance.”

The name made the young man flinch; his expression showed how deeply his mind was plagued by those words. “Did they run with The Deliverance too?” The young man’s eyes wandered over to the Ericson pirates.

“No!” Prisha’s voice cracked with desperation. “I was the sole pirate who sailed under that flag!”

The duke glanced over at Prisha, studying her face for a moment. It seemed as though he didn’t fully buy what she was saying. His son’s face, however, held a different look. One with more sympathy to Prisha’s words. His brown eyes scanned hers and noticed something within their depths. 

“James,” The duke’s voice snapped the young man’s attention back towards his father. “You don’t need to bother yourself with this. If you needed me for something, you may ask once I am done handing down the sentence.”

James gave a short nod, his gaze turning to the ground for a second then back towards the crew. “What sentence is that?”

“Execution for every last one of them starting with The Deliverance scum,” The duke’s eyes locked onto Prisha, holding nothing but hatred and murderous intent. 

“Even the children?” James glanced over at the youngest three of the Ericson pirates.

“Yes, they are too far gone to be spared. After growing up in that lifestyle there is no way to undo it. They all must perish.”

That got a reaction out of the Ericson pirates, all of them shouting once again. Some had nothing but pure anger in their words while others pleaded and begged, all of them trying to get the duke to spare the others’ lives. 

The duke felt his blood boil as he gave the signal. In unison the privateers lifted up their muskets towards the pirates once more. “If any of so much as say another word, I will kill your captain right here and now!” He motioned with his hand and the end of a musket pressed against the back of Louis’ skull, ready to end his life in a second should the order be given.

“Father!” James took a step forward. “There is no need for such a show of force. They are all clearly terrified and we already have them captive. Their weapons are no longer with them.”

His son’s words made the duke’s expression soften for a moment. “Fine,” The duke tsked. “Throw them in the cells! Their executions will take place at dawn. Search their ship for anything useful to sell and gather their weapons.”

The privateers nodded and began to drag the Ericson pirates away. The crew all struggled fruitlessly to break free when James spoke up once more in his soft voice.

“Wait! Don’t take them away yet!” 

The privateers stopped in their tracks and glanced up at the duke’s son. 

“James, what is the meaning of this?” The duke’s face held a level of annoyance to it. 

“I think they may be able to help me,” James noticed the look of utter confusion on his father’s face. “You asked me to travel to the edge of the Hastbron Peninsula to be a diplomat for the feuding sides. However with how vicious and relentless The Deliverance has been lately to our neighboring allies and with their captain still at large the privateers must stay here.”

Prisha could feel bile forming in the back of her throat at the mention of the Deliverance’s captain. Her eyes flickered with hatred and fear for a split second but soon returned to an unreadable state. James stared at her for a moment then continued. “If I left Ellister with the privateers this place would be defenseless, but if I had another mode of transportation and guides then I could start the journey and move towards strengthening our bonds and allies from across the sea.”

“And you think these worthless scum would really take you? They’d slit your throat the instant you left!" The duke spat with anger. 

“I disagree,” James shook his head. “If we strike a deal with them, I think they will help.”

“And what deal are you proposing?” The duke crossed his arms and looked towards his son.

“They take me across the sea and make the five day journey with me and then return me home. In exchange we will guarantee their lives and not execute them.”

The Ericson pirates’ eyes grew large and they each shared looks, disbelief and hope dancing within them. The duke remained silent for a minute, his eyes darting left and right as he studied the ground thoughtfully. His mind weighed out the options for a few minutes before he spoke.

“Fine, but Ricardo will journey with you.” The duke motioned towards the captain of the privateers then gestured for Louis to be brought forward. “You will take my son towards the Hastbron Peninsula, unharmed and alive. If you so much as harm my son or the captain of my privateers, I will hunt you and your crew down to the ends of the earth and give you the most brutal end imaginable. You’ll be begging for death before I grant it,” His eyes locked with Louis’. With a frantic nod he had agreed to the terms. “Good,” The duke strolled back then turned to face the pirates. “Twenty days. If you do not return by then, I will send out my men. As insurance that you won’t go back on your word, the youngest of your crew will stay here with me.” The duke gestured towards AJ who was brought forward. The duke looked at the crew, happy that he seemed to have made the right call. Based on the look in Louis’ eyes he assumed this to be his son. “Twenty days, or I will kill you all, starting with this one.”

“No!” Clementine lunged forward but was pulled back by the privateers. “I’ll stay behind. Just give AJ back!”

The duke shook his head. “I’ve made my decision. Take my offer or I’ll schedule the executions.”

Clementine bit down on her lip, her anger boiling deep within her as tears threatened to slip from her eyes. 

“We’ve agreed.” Aasim spoke up. “But we can’t very well do our part of the deal with bound hands.”

“My privateers will cut you free once you are back at your ship. James, go prepare for the voyage.”

James gave a quick nod and was gone. With nothing more to say, the duke motioned for the pirates to be taken away. The crew was pushed back through the doors and roughly guided to the docks. When they arrived back at Ol’ Kickass Rosie’s ears immediately peaked up before folding down against her head. Baring her teeth, the pitbull began to growl at the group of men that still held the crew captive.

“Tell your mutt to back off,” Ricardo snapped. Marlon gave a short nod and with a sharp whistle Rosie reluctantly withdrew. 

“Sorry,” James’ soft voice appeared from behind them as he ran down the path. The tailcoats of his jacket gently fluttered in the wind as he skidded to a halt. Ricardo motioned for the binds to be cut. Once again the guns were lifted on the Ericson pirates as they were instructed to gather their weapons. Their eyes focused on the privateer’s muskets as they cautiously picked up their weapons. Tenn moved forward to gather AJ’s weapons, a sad look overtaking his eyes as he stared at the shivs in his hands. He was pulled away from it in a moment, however, when Sophie placed her hand on his shoulder and gave a reassuring smile. Once the weapons were gathered Ricardo demanded that they set sail at once.

“You heard the man!” Louis shouted and stood by the wheel, his hands firmly gripping it. “We set sail for the Hastbron Peninsula!” The crew immediately went to work, dashing around the ship to get it ready for the journey. None of them wanted to waste a second when AJ’s life stood in the balance. James wandered around left and right, offering his help but none of the pirates took it. They didn’t want a bright-eyed, bushy tailed rich boy to slow them down. It wasn’t until Aasim called out for assistance in finding the location that James finally had a role to play.

“It’s right there,” James pointed at a small circle of islands. “Usually when my father took voyages there we would speak of him taking this route. The winds were particularly good there.”

Aasim looked at the map, studying it carefully. “Alright, thank you,” He moved past James and ran up to the wheel to discuss the course with Louis. The captain’s face was plagued with dread and worry but he forced a smile towards his friend. 

“Louis!” Marlon’s voice called up from the deck. “We’re ready!” 

Louis gave a firm nod and began to steer the ship. His eyes focused on guiding it before they wandered over towards Clementine. Her face was hidden behind the rigging as she walked over towards the center mast. Even though her expression was hidden, Louis could feel the pain and worry radiating off of her. Grabbing onto the rope and twisting it around her arm, Clementine kicked the lever and shot herself into the air, landing directly by the crow’s nest. She needed some time alone. Louis glanced around at his crew. None of them were doing well. Hell, he was a nervous wreck himself. Regardless, they needed to push onward. 

So they continued to sail, all of them working in tense silence. The hours flew by as the winds filled the sails and guided Ol’ Kickass towards its destination. Soon nightfall was upon them and they all sat around eating the stew Omar had prepared. No one spoke at first. Everyone was on edge, their walls high as they worried for their loved ones. Ricardo sat across from Prisha and beside James, his eyes never leaving her. Violet grimaced as she finished her bowl. Once she was done she scooted closer to Prisha, her eyes glaring at the captain of the privateers from time to time. Rosie sat beside Marlon, growling softly at James.

The young man cleared his throat and placed down the bowl. “The stew was delicious,” James glanced over at Omar before he looked away, his gaze focused on the ground. Rosie’s continuous growling made him glance up though. “What's the dog’s name?”

“Rosie.” Marlon rested his hand on top of the pitbull’s head who looked up at him with soft eyes. He smiled down at Rosie then glanced over at James who seemed intrigued by the dog. “Do you want to pet her?”

James’ eyes grew large at the suggestion. “Oh, I’m not sure she likes me,” 

“Nah. All you have to do is meet her at her level and let her get your scent. I can show you if you want.” Marlon offered.

“Absolutely not!” Ricardo shook his head. “No harm is to come to the duke’s son.”

“Rosie’s a sweetheart, I swear. “Marlon held up a hand and placed the other over his heart.

“It’s alright,” James moved forward then squatted down,

“Now just hold out your hand,” James followed Marlon’s instructions and ever so cautiously held out his hand. Rosie sniffed it intently for a few seconds before licking the young man’s hand. James gave a soft chuckle and patted the top of Rosie’s head. 

“I’m calling it a night,” Clementine rose from her spot and began to walk towards the captain’s quarters. 

“I’ll come too,” Louis jogged forward and walked beside his love, she didn’t bother to look up, her eyes cast down and too focused on her worry to notice anything else. Louis’ face fell, his hand moving away from Clementine’s as the pair walked forward. One by one the rest of the pirates left, heading off to their hammocks to call it a night. Ricardo’s eyes followed Prisha and Violet as they disappeared below decks before he loudly announced that he would be turning in for the night as well. 

“I’ll take the first watch!” Willy offered, scampering off to start the climb to the crow nest but first he quickly ran over and gave Brody a quick hug. “Night, Brody! Night, Mitch!”

“Goodnight, Willy,” Brody gave a gentle smile over to the teen before he began the climb.

“I’ll be back in two hours for my shift!” Mitch called out before he walked hand in hand below decks with his love. 

“I’m heading to bed too,” Ruby gave a gentle kiss to Aasim who clasped her hand, giving it a soft squeeze. 

“I’ll join you soon,” Aasim watched Ruby walk away for a minute then glanced out towards the open sea. Sophie stood on the helm of the ship, her blue eyes focused on the seas while Rosie lay by her feet. Marlon had promised to look after Tenn while Sophie took first shift at the helm. 

James scanned the ship for a moment then glanced back at Aasim. “Can I ask you a question?”  
Aasim looked over at James. “Sure,”

“I know that one of you ran with The Deliverance,”

“Prisha,”

“I was wondering which flag you sail under.” James asked, his arms wrapped around his knees. 

“We’re the Ericson pirates.” Aasim replied simply.

“I’ve never heard of you,” James’ nose scrunched in concentration for a minute as his mind tried to decide the truth of Aasim’s answer.

“I wouldn’t suspect you to. We’ve never set sail in your waters until now,” Aasim’s eyes fell for a moment. “We’re not exactly on the same level as the pirates that roam these waters.”

“How so?”  
“We don’t kill. At least our code directs only to take life when it is absolutely necessary.” Aasim’s words made James’ eyes grow large. He couldn’t believe what he was hearing. Pirates that didn’t kill on a whim. It was unheard of, at least to him. “You’re surprised.” Aasim noted.

“Sorry, I...” James took a breath when Aasim spoke up once more.

“It's unusual.” Aasim’s fingers traced the deck. “So, why is it so important for you to reach Hastbron Peninsula?”

“I need to get a treaty signed. Two of the islands have been feuding for years now but the only way we can all survive The Deliverance’s attacks is by putting aside our differences and uniting. We have to go the peaceful route and learn to work together or we’re no better than pi-” James caught himself on that word and looked down guilty. “I want to keep Ellister safe.” 

Aasim nodded. A silence passed between the pair. Silently the pirate rose from his spot. “I need to check one more thing before turning in. I’d advise you to call it a night.”

“Alright,” James gave a nod and watched for a moment as Aasim disappeared into the cartography room. The duke’s son looked up at the starry sky for a moment then got up and went below decks to sleep. 

The next three days were tense. None of the pirates were able to concentrate; none could with AJ stuck back on Ellister as a hostage. It had become clear after the first night that Clementine was struggling. Her eyes were red and her face dry from tears. Louis tried his best to comfort her and be by her side but there was only so much he could do.

Ricardo continued to watch Prisha like a hawk, not trusting her for a minute, which put Violet more on edge. The blonde pirate never left her wife’s side unless it was absolutely necessary. Nothing felt certain over these last few days. The only positives were the few times some of the crew tried to lift the other’s spirits and the short talks here and there with the duke’s son. James was by no means a bad person - after all he had been the one to give the crew a chance to live - but that didn’t separate him from what his father had done. Still, small moments here and there revealed the young man to be a kind soul if not a bit naive and sheltered, one who truly did seem to want the best outcome in this scenario.

Everything was heading towards this being a safe and fast journey. The winds had favored them and the seas had not caused nary a harsh wave nearby. They were only a day’s travel away when Willy spotted something.

“Yo! Louis! I see something out in the water!” The teen’s voice made Louis stroll forward, accepting a spyglass offered to him by Prisha. The captain held it up to his eye and looked out. The sight sent his heart sinking and made a shiver run up his spine. There waving in the wind was a black flag with a skull and crossbones. Pirates. The last thing the crew needed to deal with. He was about to make the call to run but due to the knots at which the enemy ship was traveling they wouldn’t get away in time. They’d have to fight.

“It’s an enemy ship! Everyone man your station and prepare to fight!” Louis’ instructions made all the pirates run to get ready. Most of them worked to prepare the cannons while the rest made sure their weapons were in place. Louis looked around, his heart racing when he noticed that neither the captain of the privateers nor the duke’s son had retreated below decks.   
“James. You need to-”

The sound of the enemy’s canon cut Louis off as the shot barely missed the ship and caused a loud splash. HIs eyes shot over and grew large in disbelief. The enemy’s ship was already beside theirs. How was it so fast? 

There standing on the side of the ship and holding onto one of the ropes was a man with long black hair and hard, cold brown eyes. He wore a blue pirate coat covered in an intricate design. A red sash was tied around his hip and a brown sash filled with knives lay across his chest. The collar of his white undershirt blew in the wind along with the red feather that stood tucked away in his black pirate hat. A smug, cocky smile covered his face as his ship halted to a stop. “I believe you have something of mine,” 

“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Louis strolled forward, his hand resting on top of the hilt of his sword. “Leave now and we can both go about our days.”

The enemy captain stared at Louis for a second before he shook his head. “Sorry, but he’s coming with me.” The man pointed his blade towards James who looked shocked by that statement. 

“You can’t have him,” Louis’ words made a frown appear on the captain’s face.

“I didn’t ask for your permission!” the man spat angrily.

“What should we do, Jesse?” A man with black hair and a rapier asked the captain.

“The usual. Men, kill who you have to! We don’t leave until he’s on our ship!” With those words, grappling hooks flew through the air, hooking onto the side of Ol’ Kickass and securing the two ships in place. 

Jesse swung across and landed with a hard thunk. Ricardo gave a war cry and charged forward, his sword swinging down towards the enemy pirate. But it never reached its target. Jesse sidestepped it with ease and with one move rammed his cutlass deep into the privateer’s gut. Ricardo let out a shaky gasp as he was lifted into the air and tossed to the side, his body landing in the water and staining it red. The Ericson pirates watched in horror at how easily Jesse had taken down the privateer but they had no time to focus on that. 

Soon their ship was swarming with enemy pirates who attacked viciously, forcing them away from their cannons. Violet’s eyes flew around the ship, desperately trying to use her limited sight in the midst of the chaos. She saw that Prisha was in a heated duel with two pirates. Brody dashed over to help while Marlon sicced Rosie on the nearest pirate that was about to attack Louis. Her pale green eyes continued to scan the area when she noticed Jesse slowly walking towards her. She was in his way, blocking his path to James.

With a deep breath she dashed forward and swung out her ironclad knuckles towards the pirate. The captain dodged it with ease but Violet was relentless, attacking again and again, searching for an opening even though he gave none. Jesse stared at her with curiosity. He had noticed the burn marks that plagued her eyes, one of which was completely milky. She was blind and as such should be an easy opponent. He sidestpeed her attack and rushed for her blind spot, slashing out his sword with a quick flick of his wrist. But to his surprise it was blocked by the blonde pirate’s dagger. Jesse backstepped, impressed by the block for a blind pirate. It wouldn’t deter him though; he would simply have to find a weakness and attack it.

He continued to dodge her attacks, throwing some jabs here and there to see how well she could adjust. After a few minutes he had a pretty confident idea of her abilities. With that in mind he feinted an attack to the left, causing Violet to put her defense on that side before he jabbed her side harshly with the hilt of his sword. Violet gasped out a shaky breath and Jesse used the opportunity to grab her collar to pull her closer before digging his foot into her gut and sending her flying towards the main mast. Grabbing one of his knives he tossed it towards his defeated opponent, figuring if the harsh hit didn’t do her in the knife would.

“Shit! Violet!” Sophie called out and dashed forward. Her right arm wrapped around Violet while her left blocked the incoming knife. Before the redheaded pirate had a chance to breathe a sigh of relief though her back collided with the main mast, absorbing most of the damage Violet would’ve sustained. With a cough Sophie crumbled, her grip loosening around Violet as her head fell forward. 

“Sophie!” Violet turned to her friend before she grasped her side, hissing in pain. “Damn it,”

Jesse continued on but only made a few steps before a loud voice rang out. “Hey, asshole!” Mitch swung his dagger viciously towards Jesse who blocked it deftly. Mitch skidded across the deck but closed the distance between them in a minute. Again and again he jabbed and sliced with his dagger. His footwork and speed were his strength as he nicked Jesse’s arm ever so slightly. Jesse tsked, his eyes hardening as he worked to defeat Mitch. He studied him carefully, easily finding his weak point, and after a harsh blow to Mitch’s hand forced him to drop his knife the pirate captain threw him overboard. 

“Mitch!” Brody called out and tried to go towards him but was blocked by more opponents. Jesse continued forward, fights breaking out and swords clashing all around him when all of the sudden he froze in place. The hairs on his arms stood straight up as he looked towards Clementine. This pirate, she was different. He could feel the aura of bloodlust radiating off her. With one look he could tell she had killed many; her aura was practically swimming in blood. Her golden eyes locked with his and hardened. 

Jesse took a recentering breath and then rushed into the fight. His sword clashed with Clementine’s. Metal screeched against metal before both were pushed back. Clementine was the first to strike, sending out a flurry of well-timed and deadly attacks. Jesse carefully blocked them, his eyes studying her movements as he tried to learn her strengths and weaknesses. Both of them received cuts as the fight continued. Clementine tried to land a hard blow to Jesse’s side but he blocked it only to get punched in the face. He spit out blood with anger. His attacks grew harsher as he chipped away at her defenses until he had pushed her towards the side of the ship. Clementine swung out her sword but Jesse quickly disarmed her, causing it to fall to the deck with a faint clatter. His hand found her throat as he pushed her further and further back. 

Clementine struggled, her mouth trying to reach his hand to bite it, but Jesse wouldn't give her the chance. Kicking up Clementine’s cutlass, the pirate captain caught it and jammed it into her shoulder, sliding through her flesh and embedding it into the side of the ship. Clementine let out a shaky gasp as the pain coursed through her body. Jesse took a step back, regaining his breath as he reached for a knife to finish the job. 

A cry from his right, however, drew away his attention as a short redhead dashed forward. Ruby lunged, her sword raised, but Jesse simply dodged it before kicking her in the face and sending her flying back. Ruby hit the deck hard before rolling to a stop. 

“You bastard!” Clementine hissed with venom as she struggled to pull the sword free. Jesse was about to unsheathe the knife when he felt another strong aura of bloodlust from behind him. It sent a shiver down his spine. Risking a look he saw Prisha sprinting to help her friend. He didn’t have time for this. Running forward he pushed a young pirate with short hair out of the way and stood before James. The duke’s son struggled to unsheathe his rapier but Jesse simply took it and tossed it into the sea.

“You’re coming with me,” Jesse gave a smug look and without waiting a second longer grabbed James and tossed him over his shoulder. Dodging battles on the Ericson deck, he ran toward the other ship. Jesse grabbed onto a rope and swung over to the other side, his men soon following suit. Within seconds the ropes were cut and the two ships were drifting apart. Jesse placed a foot on the side of his ship and looked on at the ship he had left. Many of the pirates lay wounded and dazed; the captain of the ship watched on as their ships parted, a look of terror in his eyes.

“You should've given him up right away. No one stops me from getting what I want. Until next time when we meet at Davy Jones’ Locker!” Jesse lifted his hand and gave the signal. Cannon shots rang out as the cannonballs collided and crashed against the ship. After a few seconds Jesse gave another signal to stop firing and with one final look turned around, ready to get the second part of his plan underway.


End file.
